North Sea Storms are especially gnarly, so if you need to abandon a ship or drilling platform, it must be done quickly. That's why lifeboat and davit manufacturer Schat-Harding designed their newest escape pod-like vessel to withstand a 60 meter freefall.

The height from which the torpedo shaped boat was dropped during testing set a new record, plunging the craft 11 meters below the surface before its engines shot it clear of the splash-in site. Designed to carry 70 passengers to safety, the boat will be used initially in Norwegian offshore operations where if they had to happen, emergency drops would be from 33 meters above the sea surface, in pretty nasty weather conditions.

So far, 47 orders have been placed.

Riding in this thing would be crazy. It's lightweight and streamlined to minimize its impact with the water, but all of the seats inside are kitted out with five-point racing style safety harnesses. When do I get to try one (preferably not as a ship or platform is sinking into the churning North Sea)?